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MCLE Credit Requirements by State

Alabama - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 credit in ethics or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Per Alabama State Bar MCLE regulations, the maximum number of online credits that can be earned toward your required 12 credits is 6 credits per year (MCLE Rule 3.1). PLI's MP3s, MP4s, and on-demand web segments are categorized as on-demand web-based programs by the ASB and qualify for online credit. Live seminars, live webcasts, and live groupcasts, which are synchronous and occur in real-time, are considered live programs under these rules and are not subject to the 6 credit limit.

Arizona - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 3 professional responsibility/ethics credits, during each yearly reporting period. A maximum of 5 hours, including specialty credits, may be earned through self-study each year.

Arkansas - Attorneys must complete 12 hours, including 1 credit in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Attorneys may receive a maximum of 6 hours credit for in-house programs conducted during any reporting period.

California - Attorneys must complete 25 credits, including 4 credits of Legal Ethics, 1 credit of Competence Issues, and 1 credit of Recognition and Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession and Society, by January 31 every three years. There are three compliance groups, assigned by last name and staggered by year. No credits may be carried over to the next reporting period. Learn more about newly-admitted requirements. All PLI products are considered “participatory” and are not subject to any credit limit.

The amount of education an attorney owes is based on the number of months in the compliance period that the attorney is subject to. If an attorney is subject to the MCLE requirement for an entire compliance period, s/he owes the regular MCLE requirement. If an attorney is subject to the MCLE requirement for a portion of the compliance period, the requirement is prorated. To calculate MCLE requirements, go to www.calbar.ca.gov . The proportional requirement rules specify that if a member is subject to the MCLE requirement for four months or less, s/he does not need to comply with the MCLE education requirement for that compliance period. Thus, if an attorney was admitted in December and his or her Compliance Group's deadline is less than 2 months away, it is unnecessary to comply with the MCLE requirement for that compliance period (if there are less than four months left in it).

Colorado - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 7 credits in legal ethics, during each three-year reporting period. PLI live and on-demand webcasts are classified as home-study. There is no limit to credits earned via home-study.

Delaware - Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including 4 enhanced ethics credits, during each two-year reporting period. Up to 12 credits, including the enhanced ethics credits, may be earned through self-study or in-house learning.

Georgia - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 credit in legal ethics and 1 credit in professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Trial attorneys must also complete 3 credits of trial practice. Up to 6 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned through distance learning delivery formats, in-house or self-study activities during a reporting period.

Hawaii – Attorneys must complete at least 3 credit hours of MCLE per year.In addition to MCLE, attorneys are encouraged, but not required, to complete 9 or more credits of VCLE (Voluntary CLE) per year. Newly admitted attorneys who elect active status upon admittance to the Bar are exempt from the MCLE requirement for the year in which they are admitted. However, the newly admitted attorney is still required to complete the mandatory HSBA Professionalism program prior to the end of the year. Effective January 1, 2015, the Hawaii Supreme Court has eliminated the MCPE/VCLE distinction. All credits will be categorized as General CLE credit or Ethics CLE credit.

Idaho- Attorneys must complete 30 credits, including 2 legal ethics or professional responsibility credits, during each three-year reporting period. Up to 15 credits may be earned through self-study programs.

Illinois - For all two-year reporting periods starting July 1, 2010 and going forward, attorneys subject to the MCLE Rules (who are not newly-admitted) must complete 30 total hours, including at least 6 hours of professional responsibility (PR). Your reporting group is based on your last name. Those with last names beginning with A-M are assigned even-numbered reporting years. Those with N-Z last names are assigned odd-numbered reporting years. The second year in the period is the reporting year. Browse a listing of CLE programs approved in Illinois.

Newly Admitted Illinois attorneys are required to complete a 6-hour Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism (ILSCCP)-approved Basic Skills Course and at least 9 other hours of Illinois-approved CLE credit, including any amount of professional responsibility (PR) credit. The completion deadline is the last day of the month that occurs one year after you were admitted to the Illinois bar. Newly Admitted Illinois attorneys must consult their ARDC account with the Illinois MCLE Board for their reporting group and compliance deadlines.

Indiana - Attorneys must complete 36 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, during each three-year reporting period. At least 6 credits must be earned each year. Up to 6 credits may be earned each reporting period from distance education courses. Attorneys may report up to 3 credits per reporting period from in-house programs. Government and academic attorneys may report an unlimited number of credits via in-house.

Iowa - Attorneys must complete 15 credits during each calendar year, including 3 credits in legal ethics every 2 years. Instruction regarding substance abuse or mental health issues may be used to satisfy the biennial ethics credit requirement. Up to 6 credits per reporting period may be satisfied with computer-based programs.

Kansas - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in ethics and professionalism during each yearly compliance period. A maximum of 5 credits per compliance period may be earned through nontraditional formats. Non-traditional programming as defined by the Kansas CLE Commission is CLE programming accessed solely by an individual attorney, including: teleconference, internet-based conference, audiotape, videotape, CD, MP3/4, CD-ROM, DVD, or another format approved by the Commission. Browse a listing of Kansas-approved non-traditional CLE programs.

Kentucky - Attorneys must complete 12.5 credits, including 2 ethics, professional credits or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 6 credits may be earned through online credits, which are referred to as technical transmissions.

Louisiana - Attorneys must complete 12.5 credits, including 1 credit of ethics and 1 credit of professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Not less than eight (8) of such hours shall concern legal ethics, professionalism, or law office management. Attorneys may earn up to 4 self-study credits, including ethics and professionalism credits, per reporting period from online programs.

Maine - Attorneys must complete 11 credits, including 1 credit in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Of this yearly total, 5.5 credit hours may be self-study credits, which can include audio, video, teleconference, webcasts, groupcasts, or other online programming.

Minnesota - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 3 credits in ethics or professional responsibility and 2 credits in the elimination of bias, during each three-year reporting period. All 45 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned online through participation in live webcasts. Effective July 1, 2014, Minnesota lawyers may claim up to 15 credit hours per reporting period for on-demand courses as defined by the Board’s Rules.

Mississippi - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 ethics, professional responsibility, or malpractice prevention credit, during each yearly reporting period. No more than 6 credits may be earned through the use of satellite-transmitted or electronic recorded material, even though same is presented by an accredited sponsor. As part of the 6 credits, an attorney may claim to up 6 credits for telephone seminars and/or online programs.

Missouri - Attorneys must complete 15 credits during each yearly reporting period. In addition, attorneys must complete 2 credits in ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention every year. All 15 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned viewing live webcasts. A maximum of 6 credits may be earned through self-study. The 2 credits in ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention may not be earned with self-study programs. Browse a listing of Missouri-approved CLE programs.

Montana - Attorneys must complete 15 credits including 2 ethics credits during each yearly reporting period. SAMI (Substance Abuse/Mental Illness) credit will be counted towards the ethics requirement. A minimum of 10 credits per year must be obtained by participation in Live or Interactive seminars. A maximum of 5 Other credits may be earned during a reporting period. PLI’s live webcasts satisfy the live or interactive requirement. PLI’s on-demand webcasts or audio/video programs fall within the Other or self-study category.

Nebraska - Attorneys must complete a minimum of 10 hours of accredited CLE each year, with at least 2 of those hours being in the area of professional responsibility (which includes legal ethics, professionalism, diversity, malpractice prevention, and recognizing & addressing substance abuse and mental health issues). Up to 5 hours in the annual reporting period may be obtained through completion of computer-based legal education. Up to 5 hours in the annual reporting period may be obtained for approved “in-house” CLE programs.

Nevada - Attorneys must complete 12 hours during each yearly reporting period including 2 ethics or professional responsibility credits. All 12 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned under the alternate format rule. PLI’s live webcasts and on-demand programs qualify as alternative formats. Effective February 10, 2013, attorneys must complete a minimum of one CLE hour per 3 year period on substance abuse which will apply towards the 12 hour requirement. For 2013, the requirement is 9.0 general credits, 2.0 ethics credits, and 1.0 credit in substance abuse. For 2014 and 2015, the requirement will return to 10.0 general credits and 2.0 ethics credits.

New Hampshire - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including at least 2 credits in ethics/professionalism during each yearly reporting period. At least 6 hours must come from “live” programming, which includes approved live seminars as well as live webcasts/groupcasts as participating attorneys are able to communicate with faculty via email. No more than 6 credits during a compliance period may be obtained from groupcasts as they are classified as “in-office” courses. New Hampshire rules allow you to carry forward up to one year’s worth of credit to the next compliance period, 2 ethics, 5 live and 5 nonlive credits.

Effective July 1, 2014, New Hampshire changed how it administers NH Supreme Court Rule 53. New Hampshire Supreme Court Rule 53 – NHMCLE stipulates that courses will no longer be certified by the NHMCLE Board; course providers will not be submitting information to the state. The new rule requires attorneys to self-certify program adequacy and self-report activity.

New Jersey - Attorneys must complete 24 credits every 2 years, with at least 4 credits in ethics/professionalism. Half of the credits can be fulfilled through alternative verifiable learning format courses. Lawyers who reside in, work in, and are licensed in a mandatory CLE jurisdiction that allows for 100% of CLE courses to be taken through alternative verifiable learning formats shall, through reciprocity, be able to satisfy their CLE obligation in New Jersey through 100% alternative verifiable learning formats. PLI webcasts, groupcasts, on-demand programs, CDs, DVDs, MP3s, and MP4s qualify as alternative verifiable learning format courses.

New Mexico - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 ethics/professionalism credits, during each yearly reporting period. All 12 credits may be earned with PLI’s live programs, scheduled video replay of an approved CLE program with two or more attendees, a teleconference, or live webcast. Up to 4.0 self-study credits may be satisfied with on-demand audio or video programs. Ethics/professionalism credits earned in excess of the required 2 hours may be used to satisfy all or part of the substantive (general) requirement.

New York - Experienced attorneys must complete 24 credits each biennial reporting period in ethics and professionalism, skills, practice management, or areas of professional practice. At least 4 credits shall be in ethics and professionalism. Programs on substance abuse control qualify for credit toward the ethics and professionalism requirement.All 24 credits may be earned online with PLI’s on-demand audio or video programs and live webcasts.

Newly admitted attorneys must complete at least 16 transitional CLE credit hours in each of the first two years of admission to the Bar. In each of the first two years, 3 credit hours must be Ethics and Professionalism, 6 credit hours must be Skills, and 7 credit hours must be Law Practice Management and/or Areas of Professional Practice. Please read NY’s FAQ's for Newly Admitted Attorneys.

North Carolina - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in professional responsibility (ethics) or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Additionally, 1 credit on substance abuse and debilitating mental conditions is required every 3 years. A maximum of 4 credits per reporting period may be earned by participating in on-demand audio or video programs. Live webcasts are considered a live satellite program and grant live participatory credit.

North Dakota - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, during each three-year reporting period. All 45 participatory credits may be satisfied with PLIs live webcasts. Up to 15 self-study credits may be satisfied with PLI’s on-demand audio or video programs.

Ohio - As of January 1, 2014, attorneys must complete 24 credits in each two-year compliance period, including 2.5 hours of instruction in “professional conduct” topics including ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, mental illness, and access to justice and fairness in the courts. Up to 12 of these credits may be earned with self-study programs, which include PLI’s live webcasts, on-demand programs and MP3s/MP4s. The amendments of January 1 will first apply to attorneys and judges whose last name begins with a letter M through Z and whose compliance period ends December 31, 2014. See this chart for an overview of how the amendments will apply to all Ohio attorneys.

Oklahoma - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 credit in legal ethics, professional responsibility, or legal malpractice prevention, during each yearly reporting period. All 12 credits may be earned with PLI’s live webcasts. Up to 6 credits may be earned with PLI’s computer-based or technology-based legal education programs.

Oregon - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 9 credits in professional responsibility (1 hour must include statutory child abuse reporting obligation, 3 hours must include access to justice, and 5 hours must be legal ethics or professionalism) during each three-year reporting period. All 45 credits may be earned with PLI’s on-demand audio or video programs or live webcasts. View Oregon Approved On-Demand Ethics CLE Programs.

Newly admitted attorneys shall complete 15 credit hours of accredited CLE activities in the first reporting period after admission as an active member, including 2 credit hours in ethics (including 1 in child abuse reporting), and 10 credit hours in practical skills.

Pennsylvania - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse credit, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 6 credits may be earned through alternate delivery methods (e.g. PLI’s live webcasts, on-demand webcasts, MP3s and MP4s).

Effective February 4th, 2014: The Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board announced changes in rules and regulations for attorneys with CLE compliance periods that begin in 2014 and have requirement deadlines in 2015, the ethics requirement for each compliance period increases from 1 credit hour to 2 credit hours. The amount of credits lawyers may earn via alternate delivery methods from four (4) to six (6) credits annually. PLI’s live webcasts, on-demand webcasts, and MP3s, MP4s are classified as alternate delivery methods. Both of these changes will be effective for all lawyers whose compliance year will end 2015. Group 1 Starting 5/1/14 ending 4/30/15. Group 2 Starting 9/1/14 ending 8/31/15. Group 3 Starting 1/1/15 ending 12/31/15.

Puerto Rico - Attorneys must complete 24 credit hours of CLE every two years. Credits collected through non-traditional teaching methods may not exceed eight credit hours, or one-third of the total credit hours required.

Rhode Island - Attorneys must complete 10 credits, including 2 credits in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Attorneys are allowed to take 3 credits maximum per year through online programs, which includes groupcasts and telephone briefings. No more than 5 credits may be earned per year through in-house activities.

South Carolina - Attorneys must complete 14 credits, including 2 credits in ethics or professional responsibility, during each yearly reporting period. A maximum of 6 credits per year may be earned through distance learning methods. Telephone briefings are approved for up to 1.5 credits each, with a maximum of 6 credits per year. At least once every three annual reporting periods, attorneys must complete 1 hour of instruction in substance abuse or mental health issues and the legal profession.

Tennessee - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 3 credits in ethics/professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 8 credits may be earned online with distance learning formats. Effect Jan. 1, 2015, Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 21 3.01 provides that a minimum of five hours of the annual 15-hour requirement shall be live, in-classroom CLE.

Texas - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 3 credits in ethics/professional responsibility, during each yearly compliance period. A minimum of 12 of the 15 hour MCLE requirement must be completed through attendance at “Accredited CLE” activities. A maximum of 3 self-study hours per compliance year will be allowed. One of the 3 credits in the ethics/professional responsibility requirement may be completed in the form of self-study credit.

Many PLI programs are approved for Texas Board of Legal Specialization credits. To locate programs approved for TBLS specialty credit, visit the State Bar of Texas course search. Type PLI in the “Sponsor Name” field and select the TBLS specialty area from the “TBLS Approval In” field.

Utah - Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including 3 credits in ethics or professional responsibility, during each two year reporting period. One of the three hours of ethics or professional responsibility be in the area of professionalism and civility.At least 15 credits must be obtained through attendance at live programs. Up to 12 self-study credits may be earned through self-study programs.

Vermont - Attorneys must complete 20 credits, including 2 credits in ethics, during each two-year reporting period. Up to 10 credits per reporting period may be earned through self-study.

Virginia - Each active member, other than a newly-admitted member, shall complete a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours of approved CLE courses, of which at least two (2) hours shall be in the area of legal ethics or professionalism. Virginia attorneys are required to attend a minimum of 4 credit hours of live interactive programming per compliance period. “Live” programs are defined by the Virginia MCLE Board as courses where there is simultaneous, live interactivity with course presenters during the program and will include traditional live on-site programs, live presentations delivered via telephone or webcast, or other courses that may be developed that include simultaneous, live interaction with the presenter or a qualified discussion facilitator during the program. Of the twelve credit hours required, no more than eight (8) may be earned from pre-recorded courses. Any distance learning CLE course that affords simultaneous, live interaction between the attendees and the presenter is not considered to be a “pre-recorded course” and is thereby allowable for all or any portion of the minimum of twelve (12) credit hours of approved CLE as provided in MCLE Regulation 102. Please see recent Virginia MCLE Board rule changes affecting Virginia attorneys.

Virgin Islands - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in ethics or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period.

Washington - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 6 credits in ethics, professionalism or professional responsibility, during each 3-year reporting period.Up to 22.5 credits, including the 6 credits in ethics, professionalism or professional responsibility, may be earned through self-study or in-house formats.All 45 credits may be earned through live webcasts.

West Virginia- Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, office management, substance abuse and/or elimination bias during each two-year reporting period. Up to 12 of these credits may be earned online with computer-based training programs or by on-demand audio or video programs, telephone conferences, or live webcasts. Up to 12 credits may be earned by attending in-house programs. Attorneys can carry a maximum of six credit-hours forward only to the next reporting period. Ethics, bias, office management and substance abuse credit cannot be carried over.

Wisconsin - Attorneys must complete 30 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, during each two-year reporting period. All 30 credits may be satisfied online with live webcasts. There is a 10 credit limit for on-demand web programs.The 3 credits in ethics may not be earned with self-study programs.

Wyoming - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 1 credit in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 5 credits per reporting period may be earned by self-study programs.

U.S. District Court Federal CLE Credit

The Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa: Lawyers admitted to practice in either the Northern or Southern District of Iowa are required to file a Biennial Report of Continuing Legal Education every other year. Six hours of legal education in the area of federal practice must be completed every two years. A maximum of 3 credit hours may be carried over from the previous reporting period. Attorneys are responsible for maintaining a copy of their report and tracking hours to be carried over.

If the program meets the criteria, PLI will apply for Federal CLE credit upon the attendee’s request. Please notify PLI at cleadministrator@pli.edu to request Federal CLE Credit.

Practising Law Institute is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State Boards of Accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Please be sure to verify your individual CPE requirements through your own State Board of Accountancy. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org

Certain PLI live programs, live Groupcasts, and live webcasts may offer CPE credit. Live programs are categorized as Group-Live delivery. Live Groupcasts and live webcasts (if offered for CPE) are categorized as Group-Internet-Based (GIB). NASBA-approved program levels include: basic, intermediate, advanced, update, and overview. For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaints and refunds, please contact Andrew Ottiger at aottiger@pli.edu.

Practising Law Institute is also registered with the New York, New Jersey, and Texas State Boards of Public Accountancy.

United Kingdom CPD Credit Information (CPD-UK)

On 21 May 2014, the SRA Board agreed to implement a new approach to continuing competence and the CPD scheme. This approach allows solicitors to determine the learning and development they need to ensure they deliver a competent legal service. The requirement to undertake mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) training has been eliminated. Under the new approach to continuing competence, solicitors are not required to undertake accredited CPD from 1 November 2014 and the SRA will cease to recognise accredited training from this point. Visit the SRA for more details

Until 31 October 2016, solicitors can choose either: i) to follow existing CPD requirements; or ii) from 1 April 2015, to adopt the new approach to continuing competence. Solicitors who choose to comply with current CPD requirements until 31 October 2016 must continue to undertake 16 hours of activity, as outlined in the guidance note for Regulation 8 of our current CPD regulations during each CPD year, and confirm that they have met this requirement as part of the annual practising certificate renewal exercise (PCRE). From 1 November 2014, there will be no requirement to undertake accredited training as part of the 16 hours CPD requirement.

British Columbia CPD Credit Information (CPD-BC)

PLI is a Pre-Approved CPD provider in British Columbia. Programs are approved by The Law Society of British Columbia. Attorneys must complete 12 hours of CPD in accredited activities with 2 of these hours pertaining to professional responsibility, ethics, client care and relations, or practice management. Requirements can be met through participating in PLI’s live seminars or in live webcasts as they are in “real time”. Viewing an archived course (PLI’s On-Demand Web Programs & Segments) must be done with at least one other lawyer or an articled student and be recorded as a study group.

Ontario CPD Credit Information (CPD-ON)

Programs are submitted for approval to The Law Society of Upper Canada for CPD credits in Professionalism only. New and experienced members are required to complete 12 CPD Hours per calendar year, including a minimum of 3 Professionalism Hours and up to 9 Substantive Hours. Note that the General Substantive hours need not be accredited. Viewing archived webcasts, video replays, or other recorded program formats without a colleague is an eligible educational activity for up to 6 CPD Hours per calendar year. In addition, participation in asynchronous, online courses that prompt responses throughout the learning process is now an eligible educational activity for up to 6 CPD Hours per calendar year. There is no limit on CPD Hours for viewing archived or recorded content with a colleague.

Quebec CPD Credit Information (CPD-QC)

PLI programs are approved for credit in Québec as per the Barreau du Québec Comité rule on reciprocity. PLI’s provider number is # 6919536. Training activities held outside the Province of Québec and approved by another Canadian bar or foreign bar as part of a Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) program in that other bar are automatically approved by the Comité regardless of whether or not you are a member of that other bar, and; regardless of whether or not this training activity is offered by that bar itself or by a supplier accredited by that bar. It is up to the attorney to ensure that the training activity is approved by the foreign bar under its own mandatory continuing legal education program and that it meets the requirements of the Règlement sur la formation continue obligatoire. For these training activities, the attorney needs to declare in their training statement the training hours spent and to retain proof of registration and participation. No application for recognition is required to be submitted by the provider to the Comité.

Members must complete at least 30 hours of approved training during a two-year compliance period as per the Comité sur la formation continue obligatoire. No specific training content is set by the Comité. However, the content must be related to the legal practice. It is up to the member to choose their own training activities among those related to the legal practice and approved by the Comité.

Hong Kong CPD Points Information (CPD-HK)

Australia CPD Credit Information

New South Wales, ACT, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria: If a particular educational activity is relevant to your professional development and practice, you can claim one unit for each hour of attendance.